Hey everyone! I'm in the process of building a large barndominium (around 5300 sqft) in Georgia. The electricity costs here are about 14 cents per kWh, which isn't too bad, but I still want to prepare for a solar installation down the line. We're currently finishing up the electrical work, and I'm thinking now is a good time to plan for any future connections before we install closed cell spray foam insulation. We have a 400 amp service for all-electric appliances, except for the tankless hot water heater.
I'm also planning to add a 40x60 shop that would have a 100 amp sub-panel. My question is, what can I do at this stage to make it easier to set up a ground-based solar array later? Is it possible to back feed solar power from the shop to the main house? I might want to include batteries in the future, which I'd like to keep in the shop, away from the house. Additionally, any advice on preparing critical loads to connect to one of the 200 amp panels with generator backup would be fantastic. I want to ensure that when the time comes for solar, whether due to rising electricity rates or falling solar prices, I'm set up for the best potential return on investment. I've looked into solar inverters that allow for generator hookups, but I'm uncertain about making my home solar-ready in the most cost-effective way. A lot of people around here don't know much about solar and I've heard some horror stories about working with solar salespeople.
3 Answers
To set your home up for solar, I recommend installing extra empty conduit runs and oversizing them. You’ll want 1-2 runs from the main panel to where you plan to put the solar panels, and another run to where your batteries will go (if they're not close). You could also wire the service entrance to a junction box first to simplify adding a mid and inverter later on without needing major rework.
Honestly, if you’re considering solar, it might be easier to put it on the roof. But since you have six acres, a ground array would be way more DIY-friendly and give you the space you need! Plus, it could really optimize your solar setup.
If you're aiming for a whole-home backup, don’t forget to get the right cutoff switches in place now. This will make your future solar setup so much smoother when the time comes to go solar!
That makes sense! A ground array would definitely allow more flexibility and easier maintenance.